British Mother and Daughter Arrested at Valencia Airport With 42 Kilos of Cocaine

42 Kilos Found in Two Suitcases

A British woman, 47, and her 19-year-old daughter have been arrested at Valencia airport after 42 kilos of cocaine was found in their two suitcases.

The Guardia Civil detained the pair on April 2 at 11pm. The women said they had spent a few days in Valencia City as "tourists" to enjoy Semana Santa and were planning to fly back to Birmingham — before the key celebrations took place.

Scanner Picked Up Suspicious Substances

The detainees had checked in their luggage, but airport scanners picked up evidence of suspicious substances in both suitcases. When opened, Guardia officers discovered narcotics distributed across the two cases within 23 packages as well as 13 pills — totalling 42 kilos. A purity test confirmed the contents as cocaine.

Both Jailed Pending Trial

The mother and daughter were brought before a judge at the Quart de Poblet court, who jailed both of them pending their trial on public health offences. No further details about the detainees have been released by authorities.

It's not the first time Valencia airport has been the scene of major drug seizures involving British nationals. Last May, a British couple were arrested at the same airport after arriving from Thailand with over 33 kilos of marijuana in their cases.

This article is based on reporting from The Olive Press, published April 9, 2026. This article is for informational purposes only.